Farms

Farms are a big part of the New Zealand way of life. Ever since the introduction of refrigerated shipping in 1882, people all over the world have enjoyed our dairy and meat exports.

Shepherds and their dogs stop for a break, overlooking the Rangitata River in Canterbury.
More about this image Email this image

While sheep, cattle and dairy (milk producing) farms are most common, you’ll also notice deer, goats, horses, pigs and even llama in paddocks throughout the country.

There are plenty of opportunities to watch sheep shearing, learn about deer and goat farming, experience sheep dogs working, milk a cow or a goat, feed lambs or go on an interactive tour of a farm. You can even pull on a beekeeper’s suit and tend the hives. Salmon and eel farms offer firsthand encounters with fish, and the prawn farm near Taupo cleverly uses warm geothermal waters for aquaculture.

Choosing farmstay accommodation is a great way to meet some of the locals and experience rural life.